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The Ultimate Guide to Mandolins for Curious Guitar Players

In the world of instruments, the mandolin is kind of an ugly duckling.

Ask mandolin players how they’ve ended up playing the mandolin, and chances are many of them will tell you:

Well I wanted to play in a band but there was already a guitarist and a fiddler, so I had to go with the mandolin

Others are actually guitar or banjo players who wanted to experiment a different sound, some are even violin players who wanted a cross between the violin and the guitar.

And the truth is that the mandolin is just not as popular an instrument as others…

Which is one more reason to start playing it!

And while its sound is mostly associated to folk or bluegrass music, some players became genuine virtuosos on it by playing different genres, such as rock or jazz.

So if you’re looking to learn more about the mandolin, you’ve come to the right place as I have in today’s article everything you need to know about this instrument.

Sounds good? Then let’s start.

First off…

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The Ultimate Guide to Banjos for Curious Guitar Players

Few, if no instruments are as typical as the banjo.

In fact, you could probably call it the one, single most American instrument existing.

And the time where its sound was associated with hillbillies playing on their porch is long past.

From classic bluegrass music to mainstream pop, the banjo is today more popular than it ever was…

Nowadays, you can even find a type of banjo for just about any style of music out there…

Whether you want to strum it, play it in a more traditional and technical way, or even both.

So whether you’re a guitar player eager to learn more about this fascinating instrument, or just a curious newbie attracted to its unique sound…

I have in today’s post everything you need to know to get started with the banjo.

Ready? Then let’s start.

The 6 Best Metronomes for Hassle-Free Time Keeping

It’s hard isn’t it?…time-keeping I mean.

While it may be one of the most important skills in music…

It’s also one of the most frustrating.

Because its quite boring to practice, and it takes forever to truly master.

In fact many musicians go their entire lives without ever developing a good sense of time.

So what do they do instead?…

Well if you can’t keep time, you have 2 options:

Find a good drummer to keep time for you, or…
Use a metronome instead.

And whether you’re that noble drummer looking for a practice tool to refine you’re internal clock…

Or you’re like most other musicians looking for a convenient way to stay on beat…

In today’s post, that ‘s exactly what I intend to help you find, with my list of the 6 best metronomes on the market today.

Sound good? Then let’s begin.

The Ultimate Guide to Harmonicas for Curious Newbies

If you’re like most of us…

Your first contact with a harmonica (or harp as it’s often called) was probably when you were still a kid.

For some reason, we often gift them to children as a toy, maybe because it’s small, maybe because it’s cheap or maybe because toy stores actually sell them…

Therefore contributing to the idea that harmonicas are not “REAL” instruments…

But if you’re reading this article you probably know that this is all obviously incorrect.

Oddly enough, those same characteristics are also exactly what make harmonicas such great instruments…

So if you want to learn more about this cool and versatile little instrument…

You’ve come to the right place as I have in today’s post everything you need to know to get started with the harmonica.

Sounds good?

Then let’s start. First up…

The Ultimate Guide to Snare Drums: How to Get That Perfect Sound

Ask any drummer what the most precious element of his kit is and chances are they’ll tell you it’s the snare.

Why? Well…

Look at it this way:

Imagine you were playing a gig and suddenly your whole kit broke apart, leaving you with only ONE element (which would suck, I agree), which one would you prefer to have left?

The snare, most probably, because you can play :

The upbeat,
The backbeat…
And fill everything in between with it, which undoubtedly makes it the most versatile element of the kit.

And while this can be discussed, the truth is it is not uncommon to see drummers travel with only their snare(s) when touring, which they use with whatever drumkit is available at their next venue.

Some drummers like to keep different models on hand and some even play with several at the same time, to alternate sounds.

So even when budget is tight, drummers NEVER skimp on the snare choice, even if it means acquiring a lower quality drumset.

So…

How do you choose the right snare for your playing? And how do you get that perfect snare sound? Well these are the questions I’ll try to answer in today’s article.

Sounds good?

Then let’s start.